St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-04-30
SAVED THE GREW.

How Jack. the "Bravc" Rescued the Crew
of His Fathers Ship-iIis Reward.
On the shore Of Il certain State along
the Atlantic coast, and in a spot where
rocky capes abound, there lived fam
lily of apparently low birth. The name
was Henderson.
The father was seafaring man, and
spent most of his time in cruising
among the Southern seas, and it was
not often that he visited his home, ex-
cept when his course happened to lie
along that coast. The son. 4 tall, we'll
built, handsome lad of eighteen, was
the pride of the old mans heart, and
we may also say the main support of
the family, as he exchanged the pro-
duets of the sea for those Of the fertile
fields of the neighboring villages.
This Individuals name was Jack, or,
as he was called, The Brave,' Il name,
as we shall see later on in the story. of
which he was not at all unworthy.
Jack had two sisters. beautiful girls of
twelve and sixteen. The above named,
including the poor mother and a faith
full old servant, comprised the Hender-
son family.
The hosse in which they lived was.
as it seemed. the cabin of some ship
which had persisted on that dangerous
shore. The outside of this strange
abode was rough and desolate, but all
within was solid comfort, and even
showed signs of skill on the part of the
two maidens who had the duty of
housekeeping to perform, their mother
being too old to give the proper atten-
ton.
The cabin was wedged in between
two large rocks, so as to make it proof
against the tiercest gale and also to
protect it from the tides. In front there
was rude wharf constructed of pine
trees dashed together with the fibre of
some plant which grew in the neighbour
hood. One looking at this wharf could
see at first sight that Jack 's-our hero
Idle moments had not been wasted.
On either side was large coil of rope
fastened down by iron clamps. In the
center there was a stack of life pre-
servers made of straw and the bark of
some tropical tree, which his father
had gathered in his wanderings. In
front there was a tiash-light erected for
the purpose of warning passing ships
against the dangers of that coast; while
i the water, and fastened to the wharf
by strong cords attached to iron spikes,
there foated several skiffs, each having
pretty and appropriate name.
In fact. on that little wharf YOU
would have seen a complete life-saving
apparatus. This was jack pride, and
we'll it might be; for by that inanimate
coil of rope, assisted by his brawny
arm, many life had been saved and
many blessings called down upon that
noble lad.
The time at which the present MARIA
tive begins was during the month of
September. and at Il time when the
mighty deep was disturbed by storms
of the fercest kind. The smoke curled
up from the chimney of the little cabin,
for the wind had set in, driving all idle
strollers into their homes.
1t was on one of these cold, bleak
mornings that Jack Henderson rose
from an uneasy sleep; for the wind had
been blowing gale, and even now, as
he stood facing seward, he could see the
white foam dash against the projecting
rocks and then rise into mountains of
spray.
The air was cold and foggy, and the
dark clouds were driven swiftly along
their course; in fact, it was such day
as caused all labor to be suspended,
and Jack had foreboding that some
thing wrong was about to turn up.
Consequently, after seeing that all his
things were in order, he assembled into
the highest window, glass in hand, to
watch.
Several hours passed in this way,
during which the rain fell in torrents
and the turbulent sea seemed as if it
were troubled by some supernatural
force.
At length the clouds began to break.
and a faint CLEAN of light peered
through the aperture. Jack placed the